Chapter 2
I promise...
Bharti stared out the window of her bedroom as the rain beat against the panes. It was a dark and dreary day, matching her mood perfectly. Sometimes, she would look back on that day. It had been the worst of her life. She swiped at the tears that fell down her cheeks. Things had gone so bad for her. She had lost her father, Fahad, everything that had been so dear to her.
Almost everything... not quite.
"Mumma."
Bharti turned around and saw Kiya standing in the doorway of the bedroom. She was wearing her Barbie winx nightgown and her long dark brown hair was mussed with sleep. She was wiping her eyes. Fahad's eyes. Her daddy's eyes.
Bharti smiled at her daughter. "You're up, sweetie!"
"Hi, Mumma!" Kiya ran to her and threw her arms around her.
"Hey, sweetie." Bharti cuddled her daughter close to her. "Did you have a good night's sleep?"
Kiya nodded as she clung to her. "It's raining, Mumma."
"I know, sweetie. I don't think we can go to the park today. But getting some cookies would be fine. Would you like that?"
Kiya nodded as she grinned at her. "Chocolate chip?"
"Whatever you like. Are you hungry,sweetie? Mummy will make some breakfast for you now."Kiya nodded and took her hand. "Can I have a Aloo ka paratha, Mumma?"
"Sure you can. Let's go inside."
They went into the kitchen together.
The apartment was small but it was theirs. Bharti had left Mumbai, coming to Bangalore to start a new life. She had found a job in an art theatre as a choreographer. She was struggling in the beginning. She was a child still herself and determined to raise her child to the best of her ability.
Now, she was able to work at home. She managed to run a small dance class and now she and Kiya were able to live off with the fees the students gave. They still struggled at times but they had each other and that was all Bharti cared about.
She didn't have to put the baby in day care or have someone else raise her child for her. She knew what it was like to grow up without a mother. She took the bowl of boiled potatoes out of the refrigerator. She smiled as she watched Kiya bend down under the sink to take out the skillet.
"You're such a good girl." Bharti smiled as she took the skillet from her. Kiya beamed proudly. "I love to help you, Mummy."
"I know you do, angel." She loved her four year old daughter so much. Not a day went by when she didn't count her blessings. She was so lucky to be blessed with such an angel in her life.
It was just a shame that Fahad wasn't here with them.
**********
They had met in secret after her father had banned her from seeing him.
"Bharti, I don't know what to do." They were behind the bleachers at the ball field at school and Fahad was crying.
"What is it?" she asked him as he held onto her.
"My parents are so upset about this whole thing that they've decided to move back to Dehradun. I'm moving down there, Bharti. I don't want to go but I have no choice."
She felt the bottom drop out from her. "But you can't move,Fahad! You just can't!"
"I don't have a choice, honey. They're so upset about what happened. They know you won't get an abortion and they don't want me to be with you anymore. I have to go,Bharti. I don't want to leave you but I have no choice."
She clung to him. "But what about us? What about our baby?"
He looked down in shame. "I'm sorry,Bharti. I'm so sorry."
She broke down then. "How could you do this to me,Fahad? Why don't you stand up for yourself, for us?"
He looked at her through his tears. "If I stay with you my parents won't pay for college. You know I have to go to college, honey. They already told me that if I stay I can forget about them helping me." She felt like she'd been struck by him. "How could you? What about me? I'm the one who's pregnant. Fahad, I thought you loved me." He grabbed her hands. "I do, honey, more than anything. I'm sorry... so very sorry."
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